Howard County Celebrates with Activities that Focus on "Protecting the Environment"
Wilde Lake Village News
April 21-28 with activities that focus on this year's theme,
"Protecting the Environment." The kick off for "Discover Howard
County Government Week" will take place on Saturday, April 21, with
special Earth Day activities that include a tree planting in West
Friendship Park and a county-wide shredding event at the county's
Dorsey Building that features hands-on environmental exhibits, a
chance to learn about birds, make a bluebird house, solve an
environmental puzzle and shred up to three bags or boxes of
documents.
In addition to Earth Day activities on the 21st, there will be tours
and presentations at the Alpha Ridge Landfill, Recycle America
Elkridge Facility, Water Reclamation Plant and the new Glenwood
Community Center, the county government's first LEED-silver rated
"green building."
Since some of our most serious health problems are caused by our
environment and may even start in our homes, the Howard County Library
Elkridge Branch will hold a workshop entitled, "Help Yourself to a
Happy Home Environment." Madeleine Greene, Howard County's Extension
Educator, will share tips on how to check your home for hidden
hazards, make your own household cleaning products and create a
healthy living environment. The Glenwood Branch will hold story times
for both pre-school and elementary-school aged children called "Caring
for the Earth" and featuring stories, demonstrations and crafts to
inspire a new generation of environmental stewards.
The week will conclude with a Champion Tree presentation honoring one
of Howard County's oldest trees, the opening of the new arboretum on
the banks of Wilde Lake in Columbia, and the first-ever
"Cherrybration." The "Cherrybration" will be held in Centennial Park
to celebrate the blossoming of Howard County's 1,000 beautiful
"Blossoms of Hope" cherry trees and will include music, children's
activities, a native plant sale, and a "Lantern of Hope" luminary
procession at dusk.
A complete list of events is available on the Howard County web site:
www.howardcountymd.gov.